Shanna will keep ear on Dad

GIRLS BASKETBALL Girls Semistates

GIRLS BASKETBALL Girls Semistates

February 24, 2007|SCOTT DAVIDSON Tribune Staff Writer

Today, first games at 1 p.m. local timeNORTHElkhart CentralAt North Side GymClass 2-A: Jimtown (23-2) vs. Oak Hill (24-1) Class 3-A: S. Bend St. Joseph's (23-2) vs. Wawasee (21-3) PlymouthClass 1-A: Oregon-Davis (23-3) vs. Lapel (22-4) Class 4-A: S. Bend Washington (26-1) vs. Anderson (24-2) SOUTHSouthportClass 2-A: Heritage Christian (24-3) vs. Mitchell (19-6) Class 4-A: Center Grove (19-6) vs. Columbus East (23-2) JeffersonvilleClass 1-A: Dubois (19-6) vs. Wood Memorial (18-8) Class 3-A: Indpls Brebeuf (21-6) vs. Ev. Bosse (22-3) Kem Zolman's biggest fan will not be at North Side Gym in person Saturday. She will be there in spirit though. Shanna Zolman, Kem's daughter and the former Wawasee superstar, will be all ears as the No. 8 Warriors play No. 1 St. Joe in the Class 3-A semistate. The younger Zolman will catch the game via the internet from her home in San Antonio. Zolman is getting prepared for her second season with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. "I'm just so excited for him,'' said Zolman of her father in a phone interview earlier this week. "I can't express how proud I am of him and how happy I am for him. "You better believe I'll be listening on Saturday. I scheduled my appearances around the game. There's no way I would miss it. It is so difficult though not being able to be there Saturday.'' "When they won the regional last Saturday, I was jumping up and down and screaming.'' The Warriors, despite Zolman's brilliant prep career, which included a 74-19 mark and two sectional titles, never won a regional title. She was knocked out of the regional her junior season at home by Fort Wayne Concordia. Ironically, Wawasee beat Concordia in the title game of the Peru Regional last Saturday. Shanna, who boasts a phenomenal work ethic, was the role model for many of the current Warrior players, including sophomore Brennan McAdams. "I remember all of these players coming to my games,'' said Shanna, who averaged 6.6 ppg. in her rookie season in the pros. "They're unbelievable kids. They have heart and I would never count them out.'' Zolman, who got married this past fall, is now living a dream through her dad. The younger Zolman graduated from Wawasee in 2002 after setting the state's all-time scoring mark with 3,085 points. The 5-foot-10 guard then had an outstanding career at Tennessee, finishing ninth in school history with 1,706 points. "I'm ecstatic for him,'' said Zolman, the 2002 Miss Basketball. "He's a great coach and people are now seeing that. He's not having success because of Shanna, like people used to say. I told him now it's his turn to share experiences with me. It really is a magical time for him. "I've learned so much from him. He's always been there and always been the brains behind all of it. He deserves the credit.'' The Zolman family has fond memories of North Side Gym. It was in the storied building where Shanna set the all-time scoring record with a 50-point, 17-rebound masterpiece in a win over Elkhart Memorial in front of nearly 5,000 fans on Jan. 12, 2002. Zolman, the youngest of two children, knows what her family has meant to her success. "God has blessed me,'' said Zolman. "My parents have always been there for me. My mom (Lynette) is just as big a part of dad's success. She deserves so much credit too.''